Armor.



' Patented Feb. 6, I900. N. C. VAUGHAN.

ARMOR.

(Application filed. May 29, 1899.)

(No Model.)

NITED STATES Fries.

i ATENT ARMOR;

SPECIFICATION ftrma part of Letters Patent No. 642,649, data Febaa e,1906.

Application filed May 29,1899. Serial No. 718,737. (No model.)

To all whom it mtty concern.-

Be it known that I, NORVAL C. VAUGHAN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Cincinnati, Hamilton county,State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Armor; and I do declare that thefollowing is a clear, full, and exact description of the invention, suchas will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeand use the same, attention being called to the accompanying drawings,with the referencenumerals marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

The subject of this invention is an armor to be worn for the purpose ofprotecting certain parts of the human body against accidental orintentional injury, but more particularly against the latter and wheresuch may be inflicted by firearms or cutting iniplements. It is intendedfor use by officials and such persons who, in the legitimate exercise oftheir certain duties, are exposed to such dangers, and it isparticularly designed to protect the chest or the abdomen, or both.

The features of the invention are in addition to the requiredresistance, sufiicient to prevent penetration by bullet or knife, greatlightness, perfect pliabilitygvhereby it adapts itself readily to allformations of the body as well as any motions and changes of position,and convenience in attachment and removal. In the followingspecification and particularly pointed out in the claims at the endthereof is found a full description of my invention,together with itsmanner of use,parts,and construction, which latter is also illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a front view of apart of a human figure with the armor attached in its intended position.Fig. 2 is an enlarged (about full size) view of a portion of thestructure, and Fig. 3 is an edge view of the preceding figure.

The armor consists, substantially, of a collection of metal plates 5,assembled and arranged edgewise and connected by links 6, passingthrough perforations 7, near the contiguous edges of adjoining plates.As to shape, these latter are quadrangular and by preferencerectangular, and they are arranged in parallel rows, both horizontallyas well as vertically, so that the entire connected colin a certaindirection from edge to edge, or

only partly so. Links 6 are circular, which shape permits the greatestdegree of pliability and renders the structure flexible to an extentwhich permits the same to be folded or doubled up when not in use. (SeeFig. 3.)

The armor is supported like a bib or apron by suitable straps, one, 8,passing over the shoulders and back of the neck, the other, 9, passingaround the body at about the waistline. It is to be worn between thenether and any of the upper or outer garments, like coat or vest, and bywhich latter it is held snugly against the body. The straps are fittedto proper length to suit the size of the wearer, which may be done bybuckles, and they are attached to the edge of the armor by suitablecatch devices like snap-hooks, for instance. After once adjusted thebuckles need not be opened any more on taking the armor on or off, itonly being necessary to disconnect at most one end of a strap from theedge of the armor, to which it is held by a snap-hook. In most cases nodetachment whatever may be required for the upper strap,

which may be slipped in and out over the,

head.

As a material aluminium recommends itself on account of its lightness,although the structure by a size of fourteen by eighteen inches whenmade of steel of suflicient thickness weighs only about thirty-fiveounces.

If steel is used, I have found the No. 20 spring-steel, (Englishstandard,) tempered in oil, of sufficient resistance for the intendedpurpose. Links 6 do not project sufficiently (see Figs. 2 and 3 of thedrawings, which are about full size) to cause any inconvenience to thewearer, and for which reason I require no padding of any kind, theunderclothi-ng alone being sufficient for all such purposes.

The device may be covered by paint, enamel, or lacquer or otherwisetreated in a manner to prevent oxidation.

Having described my invention, I claim as new- 1. An armor for thepurpose described,consisting of a collection of metallic plates of equalsize assembled edgewise, perforations near their edges to form rows,circular links connecting adjoining rows and plates bypassbe folded,straps whereby this latter is held ing through their perforations toform a subin 'position and catch devices at the ends stantiallyrectangular sheet sufficiently plithereof, whereby the straps aredetaehably able to permit folding up and means to hold connected to thearmor.

5 this latter in position. In testimony whereof I hereunto set my 15 2.An armorfor the purpose described, conhand in presence of two witnesses.sisting of metallic plates of equal size which NORVAL C. VAUGHAN. areassembled in parallel rows, circular links Vitnesses: whereby they areall connected edgewise to O. SPENGEL,

10 form a pliable rectangular sheet which may THOMAS CLIFTON.

